Mail-chute.



L. EHRLIH.

MAIL GHUTE.

APPLICATION FILED Auaze, 1907.

Patented Feb. 23, 1909.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEO EHRLICH OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, MENT COMPANY, OF ST. LOUIS,

ASSIGNOR TO UNITED STATES MAIL CHUTE EQUIP- MISSOURI, A CORPORATION OF MISSOURI.

MAIL-CHUTE Specification of Letters Patent.

Serial No. 336,963. Divided and this application filed August 26, 1907.

Serial No. 390,182.

I Original application flledOctober 1, 1906,

appertains to make and use the same, referonce being had to the accompanying drawings,'forming part of this specification, in which Figurell is a front elevational View of my improved mail chute; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the chute; Fig. 3 is-a sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a detail front elevational view; Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2; Fig. 6 is a sectional view on the line (S(3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 7 is a detail view of part of the locking mechanism; Fig. 8 is a detail view' of the spring cooperating with the locking mechanism; and Fig. 9 is a detail View showing the interior of the chute.

This invention relates to a new and useful improvement in mail chutes for public buildings, the present application being a division of my pending appli *ation Serial No. 336,963, filed October 1, 1906.

The object of the invention described in this application is to construct a chute in such a manner that the several sections composing the tube may be so manipulated as to give access to the interior of the tube.

\Vith this object in view, the invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the several parts, all as will be hereinafter described and a ilcrwards pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, lindicatcs the vertical wall of a building and 2 the Hours thereof, the e parts bcing illustrated conventionally for the I)llll (3 of locating the same with rcspcct to my inr|nu\'c(l mail chutc.

Referring to Fig. 5. the tube sections of my nail chute con ist of a back plate 3 which is composed of pieces of sheet metal cut in appropriate lengths and connected together so as to cxtcnd practically throughout the length of the chute. This back plate may be flanged at both side edges (only one flange 4, however, is shown in the drawings),

Patented Feb. 23, 1909.

i for the purpose of giving it strength. The back plate 3 is secured by suitable fastening devices to the vertical wall of th'building in such manner as to provide a space between said back plate and the vertical wall of the building, as shown in Fig. 2. This back plate 3 may also be connected to thimbles 5 (see Fig. 1), which thimbles are in floors 01 the building.

6 indicatesfacing plates secured to the back plates 3. The joints between the back and facing plates may be broken so that the said plates constitute splices for each other. These plates are riveted together at the countersunk in the facing plate so as to offer no obstruction to the descent of mail. The facing plate 6 is as wide as the interior width of the chute, its edges forming shoul ders by which rabbeted joints may be made with the side walls of the tubesections.

Each tube section consists, in addition to the facing plate 6, which forms the back wall of the tube, of two side angles '7 constituting the side walls of the tube section and a frontwall, which latter is made 11 principally of glass panels through which the condition ,of the interior of the tube may be seen. The angles 7 may be made up by forming a llange along one edge (the forward) of a sheet metal plate, asshown in Fig. These angles are connected together connecting straps 8 riveted or otherwise fastened thereto. In addition to the straps S. the angles have secured to them a plate 9 which contains the n'iail-receiving apertures and the frames 10 in which the glass panels are mounted. Frames 10 are preferably made of polished brass so as to give an ornamental finish to the tube sections.

The panels of glass, indicated at 11, are arranged inside the frames 10 and are held preferably thin springmetal of suitable character and which are secured to the inner faces of the flanges or front legs of the side plates 7. As the glass panels 11 are not usually of uniform thickness. l prefer to cut Fig. 9, so as to form independently yielding the horizontal. planes respectively of thebuilding, the heads of the rivets beingin position by strips 12. the latter being at their uppe and lower edges by means of the free edges of the strips 12 as shown in."

' wardly projecting flange along its edge; subrower than the back plate so that the edges of the facing plate form a stepped shoulder;

substantially as described.

stantially as described.

4. In a mail chute, a back plate, and thimbles secured to said back plate in the horizontal planes of the floors of the building,

said thimbles forming part ,of the chute proper; substantially as described.

5. In a mail chute, a back plate, thirnhles secured to said back plate in the horizontal plane of the floor through which said chute passes, said thimbles constituting sections of said chute; substantially described.

stantially 'which said glass panels are mounted;

6. In a mail chute, a back plate, a tapered thimble secured to said back plate and constituting a section of said'chute; substantially as described.

7. In a mail chute, a back plate, a facing plate secured to the back plate, said facing plate being as wide as the interior width of the tube, and said back plate extendinglatorally on each side of said facing plate, whereby the edges of the facing plate form shoulders by which rabbeted joints may be made with the side walls of the chute sections; substantially as described.

8. A mail chute consisting of a back plate, side walls in the form of angles, means for securing said side walls together, and glass panels constituting the front wall, the edges of said glass panels being arranged against the outer front faces of said angles; subas described.

9. 'A mail chute consisting of a back wall, side walls with inwardly bent flanges at their front edges, straps for-connecting said walls together, glass panels constituting the front walls of the chute, the edges of said glass panels being arranged against the outer faces of said angles. and frames in fill stantially as described.

10. In a mail chute, glass panels, and spring metal strips for holding said glass panels in position, the free edges of said strips being cut or scored so as to form independently movable tongues: substantially as described.

11. In a mail chute, a glass panel, a frame in which said glass panel is mounted, a metal strip whose free edge is cut or scored and placed under tension so as to bear againstthe inner face of said glass panel to hold the same in position in its frame; substantially as described.

12. A mail chute embodying a plurality of superposed tubular sections consisting of a tiited back plate, side walls and a front wall, the latter being connected together so as to swing outwardly. and a hinge secured to the back plate and to the rear edge of one of said side walls; substantially as described.

13. A mail chute embodying a plurality of superpoied tubular sections consisting of a fixed ack plate and movable front and side walls, the latter being connected together so as to move collectively, a hinge secured to.

one of the side walls and the back plate, and means for locking said swinging parts in position; substantially as described.

14. A mail chute comprising a fixed back plate extending throughout the length of the chute, and swinging sections comprising front and side walls hinged at one edge to said back plate; substantially as described.

15. A mail chute comprising back plates and facing plates extending throughout the length of the chute, a swinging section conas to collectively swing together, and a hinge section between one of said side walls and said back plates, and a thimble connected to the back plate and extending below the upper edge -ot' said swinging section; substan tially as described.

16. In a mail chute, a baclr plate, a hinged swinging section, and tlllll'lblCS on the back plate atthe extremities of said swinging section; substantially as described.

17. In a mail chute, a back plate, a hinged swinging section mounted thereon, a thin'iblc secured to the back plate and extending below the upper edge of said sccti HI, and a thimble secured to said back plate and located below the lower edge of said swinging section; sulistantially as described.

18. In a mail chute, a back plate, a movable section, a thimble secured to the back plate below said movable section, and a vertically mo *ablc tube section for inclosing the space between said thimble and said movable section; substantially as described.

19. In a mail chute, a back plate, a movable section. a thimble securcd to said back plate, and a vertically movable tube section whose lower end tits in said thimble and whose .upper end fits around said movable section; substantially as described.

20. In a mail chute, a back plate, a movable section mounted on said back plate, a thimble fixed to the back plate below said movable section, and a tube section sildingly mounted on the back. plate and telescopically .coiipcrating with said movable section and a back plate, a mov- 'sisting of front and side walls connected so cured to said back plate below said movable bar connected to and operating said tube section; substantially as described.

' In a mail chute, a back plate,'a'movable section mounted thereon, a thimble seseetion, a mo a-bletube section telescopically roilperating with the lower end of said movable section and said thimhle, the rear wall of said movable tube section being housed within said back plate; substantially as" described.

23. In a mail chute, a backplate, a hinged swinging tube section having lateral projeetions, a locking barislidingly mounted on said' back plate and having lateral projections for cooperating-with the lateral projections of said swinging section; substantially as described.

24. In a mail chute, a support, a hinged swinging tube section mounted thereon and f comprising front and side walls, locking; means for cooperating with theupper and 1 lower portions of the side walls of said swinging tube section, and means operated i by said swinging'tube section for preventing l mans the operation of said lacking means when the swinging section is open; substantially as described. I

25. In a mail chute, a movable section, a locking means for said movable sectiomand spring-actualtedv devices controlled by said movable section for rendering 391d" locklng I means inoperative when said movable section is in other than home stantially as described.

26. In a mail chute, aback able section mounted on said ack plate, a locking bar for locking said movable section position sub- Elate, a inov home, and a spi'ing-actuated lockin device, for sa d locking bar which ismove out of Lsxonn Wins-0N F. R. Conxwsnn,

locking position when said movable section 

